If you want a calm, authoritative voice in your ear, expertly guiding you onto highways and byways, look no further than your smartphone. These GPS apps give clear, concise road directions, but that’s not even the half of what they can do. Which one is right for you? Real Simple test-drove five of the top offerings.

Paul Cromwell, Ph.D., a professor of public affairs at the University of South Florida, in Tampa, interviewed burglars about their techniques for a book he cowrote called Breaking and Entering. Here, he reveals what can attract—and how to deter—thieves.

You already know to avoid dark alleys, but learning ways to protect yourself can help arm you for other potentially shady situations. As an expert in Krav Maga (an Israeli self-defense system) and the founder of MAMA (Mothers Against Malicious Acts), Jarrett Arthur has the chops to show you how.